Fluid migration in oil or gas wells is generally referred to as casing vent flow (“CVF”) or gas migration (“GM”). Fluid includes gas or liquid hydrocarbons, including oil, as well as water, steam, or a combination thereof. Any fluid migration will produce an acoustic signal, such as a hiss from high pressurized gas seeping into a wellbore, or from fluid bubbling into the wellbore. Acoustic signals resulting from the migration of fluid may be used as an identifier of a leaking wellbore. Similarly, acoustic signals from leaks in other fluid containing conduits, such as pipelines, may also be used to identify the leak.
Fibre optic cables, acoustic sensor arrays and other acoustic sensing tools can be deployed in a conduit, such as a wellbore or pipeline, for detecting acoustic signals and locating fluid leaks. The acoustic sensing tools capture and detect acoustic signals and translate these signals to optical energy to provide a profile of the conduit. The acoustic data can be digitally processed by software algorithms to determine the origin of different sounds, allowing the location of the leak to be pinpointed. There exists a continued desire to advance and improve the tools in creating a profile of conduits such as wellbores and pipes.